By Russell Williams

In recent days there has been a lot of coverage in the British media in particular about the insensitive remarks of FIFA President Sepp Blatter on racism in football. Unsurprisingly there was a lot of outrage in the UK and quite rightly so. But as was noted in several pieces on the BBC, there was hardly a whisper from the other Football Authorities in Europe or elsewhere in the world. Why was this?

I think too much focus has been placed on football alone. One has to remember that Blatter’s remarks came less than two weeks after Steve Williams – the former caddie of Tiger Woods – made racist remarks at a dinner party.

If we look at these two incidents together and not as isolated or random, we might begin to see that there’s more in the mortar than the pestle.

In 2008 and 2009, Lewis Hamilton suffered taunts and abuse in Barcelona, Spain. The head of Formula 1 Bernie Ecclestone suggestions that the incidents started as a joke, were rejected by Hamilton and rightly so.

But let’s focus on more recent events, beginning with Tiger Woods. I have resisted commenting on Tiger’s demise and the incessant coverage of his every move during the revelation of his “addiction” and treatment.

However, some people are of the opinion that had Tiger Woods been white the difficulties in his personal life would not have gained as much press. But look at the attitude of golf’s governing bodies to the remarks Williams made? The European Tour and US PGA Tour Chiefs decided not to take any action whatsoever against Williams. Some golf pundits have publicly questioned why it took authorities days to even condemn the remarks made.

Additionally, I read rather poorly made statements, such as “the remarks were made at a private function…”. The issue to me isn’t so much that golf authorities were incensed by Williams’ remarks but more embarrassed that his remarks left the room and made the headlines!

So, against this back drop why should we be in anyway surprised by Blatter’s latest remarks? Bob Marley once wrote, “who feels it knows it” and quite frankly, the big-ups plain and simply are white old men who don’t feel it. These old men have probably never been called anything more offensive than a dithering old codger, so how could they possibly have any idea of the offense and pain racist remarks cause?

Having not only played sport including internationally, I coached and served on the association’s executive and the sport’s governing body. I can tell you I didn’t meet any other black folks! Until and unless more sportsmen and women cross over into management and seek to serve on their sport’s governing bodies, these attitudes will remain.

Ironically, the case of a murdered London teenager, Stephen Lawrence was being heard last week at the Old Bailey. It’s been twelve years since the Sir. William McPherson’s inquiry into the practices of the London Metropolitan Police coined the phrase “institutionalised racism”.

One has to bear in mind that these organisations are suffering the same affliction, they are institutionally racist and the only way to dismantle such racism is from within by gaining seats on their boards.

An old coach once told a class, “if you control the head, you control the body” – we have to get seats at the head table and get access to the controls.

Photo Credit: Sepp Blather – CNN News; Stephen Lawerence The Daily Mirror

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Email Address(required)

Website

Comments

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.